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An Estate Plan Should Consist of:
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A Last Will and Testament
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A Living Will
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A Durable Power of Attorney
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A Health Care Proxy
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What is a Will?
A written document specifying how you want your property to be disposed of after your
death. A
will must be signed by you and two witnesses.
What
is a Living Will?
It lists the interventions the patient would request, accept or reject at the end of life. Most people use
living wills to refuse life-sustaining treatment when the prognosis for improvement or recovery is
hopeless and the ability to relate to others is diminished or not possible. The goal of the most usual type of living will is to
ensure that
invasive aggressive, and life sustaining treatments will not be used if they merely prolong dying.
What about a Durable Power of
Attorney?
It takes effect the moment the document is executed and continues if the principal becomes
disabled or incapacitated. The grant of authority terminates at the time of the principal's death, but
can be revoked at my time during capacity. If this does not exist, a family must petition the court in a
guardianship action.
What is a Health Care Proxy?
Also known as a durable power of attorney for health care,
it is a legal document that allows the patient to appoint a
person to make health care decisions should the patient become temporarily or permanently
incapacitated or be declared legally incompetent.
DNR Order
This means that cardiopulmonary resuscitation will not be
performed if the patient's conditions deteriorates.
Courtesy of:
Caring Choices
420 Blvd. Suite 101
Mountain Lakes,
NJ 07046
973.627.4087
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